Zags elevate into elite company
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jordan Mathews hit the goahead 3-pointer with under a minute to play and topseeded Gonzaga survived a rough shooting night for both teams to beat fourthseeded West Virginia, 61-58, last night to advance to the West Regional final.
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On a night that featured 51 fouls and only 34 made baskets, Mathews delivered the big shot that sent the Bulldogs (35-1) to their third Elite Eight in school history.
It didn’t come easily. West Virginia (29-8) had three shots to tie the game but Tarik Phillip missed a shot from the lane and Jevon Carter missed two 3-pointers after Silas Melson made one foul shot. The Mountaineers rebound both misses but couldn’t get another shot off before the buzzer.
Despite shooting 26.7 percent for the game, West Virginia stayed close and took a 58-55 lead on a 3-pointer by Carter with 1:47 to play. Nigel Williams-Goss answered with two free throws.
After Daxter Miles Jr. missed two fouls shots and Nathan Adrian was blocked by Josh Perkins on the putback, Williams-Goss found Mathews in the corner for the open 3-pointer that proved the game-winner.
Mathews, Przemek Karnowski and Johnathan Williams all had 13 points to lead the Bulldogs.
Carter led the Mountaineers with 21 points.
The game was tied at 30 after a first half that was far from an aesthetic masterpiece with 27 fouls and just 16 baskets. The teams combined for 29 percent shooting, including 2-for-16 from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs created some space early in the second when Mathews hit 3s on consecutive trips and added a free throw for a four-point play on the second to make it 41-34. But the Mountaineers fought back and the game stayed tight until the end.
The Mountaineers could get nothing going offensively most of the night but a pair of 3-pointers by Carter in the second half helped them fight back from an eight-point deficit to briefly take the lead in the second half.
The rest of West Virginia’s lineup made just 10 baskets all game.
The Bulldogs struggled to get into their offense all game. When they managed to beat the Mountaineers relentless press, they couldn’t capitalize in the halfcourt.
WCC Player of the Year Williams-Goss was held to 10 points on 2-for-10 shooting with five turnovers and was sent to the bench for a stretch with four fouls after committing two pushoffs on the offensive end. Xavier 73, Arizona 71 — Trevon Bluiett scored 25 points, Sean O’Mara scored inside with 40 seconds left and the No. 11 Musketeers upset the No. 2 Wildcats.
Xavier (30-13) stayed with the second-seeded Wildcats behind Bluiett’s 18 first-half points and tracked down the Wildcats after they tried to pull away in the second half. O’Mara scored on a power move inside, but missed a free throw to give Arizona (325) a final chance.
Allonzo Trier missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds and Xavier was able to dribble out the clock, earning its first trip to the Elite Eight since 2008.
The Musketeers held Arizona scoreless over the final 2:52 to earn a sport in the West final against No. 1 seed Gonzaga.
Trier scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and Dusan Ristic had 17 for Arizona.
Xavier made an improbable run to its fourth Sweet 16 in eight years under Chris Mack, overcoming a late six-game losing streak and slew of injuries that included the loss of point guard Edmond Sumner to a torn left ACL in late January. The Musketeers were the lone double-digit seed left in the bracket after knocking off Maryland and Florida State in the first two rounds, setting up their second Sweet 16 game against Arizona in three years.
Arizona won the previous meeting to reach the Elite Eight, putting coach Sean Miller one up on Mack, his former assistant.
Bluiett kept the Musketeers in San Jose, hitting 7-of-8 shots and both of his free throws to score 18 points in the first half.
Arizona led 37-35 at the half after turning 11 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points.